Jim Banville

We picked up the '05 C230K sedan the other day that we had ordered. Very nice vehicle! The observation is CHECK YOUR TIRE PSI when you get home from the dealer with your new car (wait for the tires to cool down). Mine was 40 lb (cold) in each tire! I reduced it down to 32 rear and 30 front. The problem is with the fold-flat rear seats we ordered. MBUSA says... "2005 Options-Split Fold Down Rear Seat-A lockable cover behind the rear center armrest can be folded to provide passage from the cargo area to the rear passenger compartment. The fold-flat 60/40-split rear seatbacks provide extra versatility for your C class sedan." My seats fold flat, but there is no lockable cover in the center armrest! There is a panel there, but it is screwed down and has no handles. I've e-mailed MBUSA, but since it's sunday, I can't call the dealer to ask about the discrepancy. Anyone else w/ sedan w/ this option have the lockable door behind the center armrest?

CitronC230K_03

congrats on your new car.

your talking about the rear center arm rest, correct?

Jim Banville

Yes. W/ the fold-flat rear seats in the sedan, when you pull down the rear center armrest, there is supposed to be a door there that allows you to access the trunk from the passenger cabin w/o folding the seats or opening the trunk. It also allows you to carry long, narrow objects, like ski's, w/o having to fold down the seats.

CitronC230K_03

so your doesnt have the area for the ski's or thin objects to pass thru the trunk into the cabin. the panel is screwed down? you have to fold down the rear seats entirely? did your salesman go over the entire car adn how to operate different things with you?

Jim Banville

No, I don't have the pass-through door. There is a plastic panel in it's place, held down by several torx head screws. The salesman went over the how to pull the latches to drop the seats, but didn't mention the pass-through door, as I recall. I ASSUMED it was there, based on the website info, and only checked today.

mick1

Seems like that feature is only available for canada (page 252 in the operator's manual). My car doesn't have it either.

Jim Banville

That's going to **** me off!

abcd

In Australia what you are referring to are two separate options. The lockable cover behind the centre armrest is referred to as a ski bag and is a separate and additional option to the folding rear seats (although the ski bag can only be ordered if you order the folding seats as well).

Perhaps that is the case in the states as well?

mick1

nope, in the US, we don't have the second option . all we have is the split fold down rear seat .

TNblkc230wz

If you compain enough, MBUSA may just add it. Shouldn't be too hard. But then, they may just caim it is a running change

Jim Banville

My car was just built a month ago. The MBUSA text stating that fold-flat rear seats comes w/ the little pass through door has not changed since before I order my car.

inFiniTE LooP

you may wanna check with your dealer why they omitted the pass-through, i just checked my car because i was curious and i have the pass through with the ski holder bags or whatever, if you want pics. of it just ask, i've got the 60/40 split fold seats with the pass-through present

Jim Banville

My manual does say that only Canadian bound W203 sedans get the ski-bag. I've e-mailed my salesman about this issue.

Nuvolari

Don't be too pissed. In Canada we pay almost 2K for a sunroof and the rear sunshade is not available. Not to mention the fact that Comand is not available as an option and the individual option prices are way higher than in the US.

Jim Banville

What pisses me off is that based on info on MBUSA, I ordered and PAID for an option that is missing half its functionality!

islanguam

Sorry you have to deal with the frustration!

Hope they can resolve the problem, after all, you waited long enough for them to complete your request!

Good Luck!

PacificIslander

Oh man!!! That sucks! Be sure they compensate you for the option you paid for!

Good Luck!

inFiniTE LooP

here some pictures of my passthru (these are from the back seat):

inFiniTE LooP

and these are from the trunk:

mick1

that's cool . I for sure don't have that with my fold down rear seat.

chitownc32

i have an 02 c32 and i have exactly whats in the picture i have seen other 02 c32's without this option my car that i ahve now was deliveried in maryland and not canada but i gets it cold there too lol there must be two options you can get you just have to specify to the salesman probaly wanted you to buy the car really bad lol

Jim Banville

Infinite Loop, I e-mailed my salesman your VIN & pics. He said "The option that the 2004 car of the guy in Ohio was option code 325 - Rear Seat Package. The package had two components to it 1)282-ski sack w/trunk pass thru and 2)287-split fold down rear seats. The price of this option was $460. The only option available for the 2005 model was 287- the split fold down rear seats. The price for this option is $290."
He said he'll still contact MB and see if he can help me out w/ getting the door. I'll keep you posted!

thanks!
Jim

inFiniTE LooP

not a problem , i dont see why it would be 2 separate options if they are advertised as being 1 thing though??? good luck and let us know what happens

delbomber

Any update on the pass-thru? Ever consider just unscrewing the plastic separator and creating your own pass-thru? :p

Anyone else know if the fold-down seat is an option added at the VPC? If so, I still might have time to add it to mine, which just docked today...if not, can it be a dealer-installed option?

MB-BOB

In previous years, the fold down rear seat came with the ski sack and fold down door bundled together. In 2001, I paid $400 (or was it $420) for the entire unit. If you've paid only $290, MB could say that you got what you paid for. But they could at least update their sales materials so you were informed of what you were buying. In either event, I don't believe the pass-through is lockable.

As for the tire pressure, check the recommended max pressure on the sidewalls for what the tire recommends. MB buys several different brands of tires and the recommended pressure varies among them. My car came with Pirelli P6s, which were 44psi tires. 40psi delivered would have been ideal for them.